Concert for George.

Concert for George (Warner Strategic Marketing)

They were his friends and compatriots, mostly musicians, some simply inclined. And they gathered in the Royal Albert Hall one grand evening to pay him tribute the best way they knew: they played his songs. Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Ringo, Tom Petty, Andy Fairweather Low, Jim Keltner, Billy Preston, Dhani Harrison, and a core band of Brit session vets (Marc Mann, Dave Bronze, and Henry Spinetti) who hold it all together. Oh, yes, Sir Paul makes an apprearance. The evening includes Monty Python's Flying Circus in a rare public reunion (and sans John Cleese) and "Arpan", an orchestral homage to George from Ravi Shankar, conducted by his other daughter, Anoushka. But what everyone came for and what you'll go back to time and again is the rock'n'roll.

It's all George's stuff, both with and without the Beatles, from the earliest, "I Need You", to classics like "Taxman", "Something", and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" to "Handle With Care" to "Horse to the Water" ... and so many more. Perhaps the ironic highlight of the evening was Joe Brown and his band. Brown was a huge star in his day and headlined the Beatles' earliest UK tours, later gaining notoriety for a string of novelty hits, Britain's answer to Dickie Goodman and Sheb Wooley. Brown and Harrison had remained in touch throughout the years, Brown reviving George's interest in the ukulele. The night closes with Brown on uke gently crooning "I'll See You in My Dreams". You don't have to dream--you've got this lovely DVD.

Of course the DVD transfer is flawless and sound spectacular. There are two discs, one which simply airs the concert as it was staged on November 29, 2002. The second is the theatrical release version, which mixes up the performers perhaps for dramatic effect. I prefer the former. Whichever you prefer, the concert is magic, with enough wry humor that George would have been pleased.